Solutions:

Wood Care

With over 50 years of expertise in the care and maintenance of hard surface floor surfaces, NCL has proudly pioneered new technologies for stone care, ceramic tile maintenance and resilient floor care surfaces.

Now, using advanced wood coatings technology, we provide you an easy-to-follow program for maple gymnasium floors and other commercial wood applications, maintaining wood with a deep, long lasting gloss and superior resistance to scuffing, soils and black heel marking.

We offer simplified wood care programs using water-based finishes that deliver exceptional results and require a minimum of additional training. These water-based products comply with federal VOC standards, as well as state and local VOC regulations. They promote worker safety and a healthier indoor environment while providing outstanding beauty and durability.

Wood floors in a modern school represent much more than just a gymnasium.

Beautiful wood floors are a focal point for school activities and a source of great community pride. The NCL Wood Care Solutions™ program will provide your wood floors with many years of beauty, safety, and performance.

Try Wood Care Solutions from NCL, and see the difference our products can make at your facility.

One-Component vs. Two-Component Wood Floor Finishes

Two component water-based finishes have been the market standard because they have clearly outperformed single component products with better long-term durability, scuff, and heel mark resistance. However, the second component, a catalyst, has health hazards associated with use, and catalyzed product must be applied within 24 hours, known as “pot life”.

With new technology, Endura™ Ultra-Premium Water-based Urethane Wood Finish is a single component system that outperforms the “market standard” two component finishes.

VOC’s - What are they?

Why are they important in Gym Floor Finishes?

Every floor coating contains two kinds of components, the parts you want (the “solids”) that end up on what you are coating. The rest (the liquids or “volatiles”) end up in the air. Some volatiles (the so-called volatile organic compounds or “VOCs”) contribute to air pollution through the creation of Ground Level Ozone. This is especially important indoors, where air volumes are much less and air quality can be easily affected.

Water-based coatings are the solution

New technology in water-based wood floor coatings allows systems to be easily formulated at 275 gm/liter or below and yet provide comparable or even improved performance over traditional solvent-based systems. NCL advanced Endure™ formulation has a VOC level of 270 gm/litter.

Water-based vs Solvent-based Finishes

Visual Benefits Of Water-Based Finishes

For many years the standard in gym finishes was the solvent-based oil modified urethane. One characteristic of solvent-based finishes is that they “yellow” or “darken” over time. Today, many gymnasiums incorporate extensive, highly colorful paint schemes and graphics. While many people feel the “yellowing” makes the wood floor look richer, in fact, “yellowing” changes the colors of the graphics, and the surrounding room becomes darker as less light is reflected.

Environmental Benefits of Water-Based Finishes

Since launching the EARTH SENSE® Program in the mid-1990’s, NCL has been at the forefront of providing the industry with third-party certified, environmentally responsible product choices. Compared to traditionally manufactured wood coatings, the low-VOC, water-based finishes and sealers used in the Wood Care Solutions™ program present distinct end-user advantages for worker safety and for the overall health and well-being of building occupants.

In recent years, many states have adopted VOC regulations that are stricter than even federally mandated regulations. As new technologies in chemical formulation allow these safer, more environmentally preferred coatings to rival or exceed solvent based products for performance, choosing the low-VOC products from the Wood Care Solutions™ program